Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini

Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini is a flavorful and rustic dish that combines the wholesome goodness of multigrain dough with a delightful topping of roasted cherry tomatoes, zucchini, shallots, garlic, and tangy feta cheese. The multigrain dough uses a combination of whole-wheat flour, bread flour, and seven-grain hot cereal mix to achieve a chewy and nutritious base. Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and enhances the flavors, while the feta cheese adds a rich and tangy note. This recipe yields three 16 by 8-inch flatbreads, perfect for serving a group of six. The use of a baking stone creates the golden color and charred flavor typically achieved in traditional clay or wood-burning ovens. With its wholesome ingredients and vibrant toppings, this multigrain flatbread is sure to be a hit at any gathering or family meal.

MAKES THREE 16 BY 8-INCH FLATBREADS, SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

• 1¾ cups boiling water
• 1 cup (5 ounces) seven-grain hot cereal mix
• 2–2¼ cups (11 to 12⅓ ounces) bread flour
• 1 cup (5½ ounces) whole-wheat flour
• 2¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Topping:

• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 shallots, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dough:

1. Stir boiling water and cereal mix together in a medium bowl. Cover and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture resembles thick porridge and is just warm (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit), approximately 30 minutes.
2. In a food processor, pulse 2 cups of bread flour, whole-wheat flour, yeast, and salt to combine. Dollop the porridge mixture over the dry ingredients and drizzle with olive oil. Process until a rough ball forms (about 30 to 40 seconds). Allow the dough to rest for 2 minutes, then process for an additional 30 seconds. If the dough is sticky and clings to the blade, add the remaining ¼ cup of bread flour, one tablespoon at a time, and pulse to incorporate.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it into a smooth, round ball. Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl and cover it with greased plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, approximately 1 to 1½ hours.

Topping:

1. Adjust the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper-middle positions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, toss the halved cherry tomatoes, zucchini, shallots, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
3. Spread the vegetables out over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast them in the preheated oven, without stirring, until the tomato skins have shriveled slightly but the tomatoes still retain their shape, approximately 35 to 40 minutes, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Let the vegetables cool slightly.

Assembling and Baking the Flatbread:

1. Place the baking stone on the lower-middle rack and increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the baking stone heat for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Cover the pieces with greased plastic wrap, working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the other pieces covered). Press and roll each piece of dough into a 16 by 8-inch oval, flouring the counter as needed.
3. Transfer each flattened dough to a rimless (or inverted) baking sheet lined with parchment paper and reshape it as needed.
4. Lightly brush each dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter one-third of the roasted vegetables evenly over each dough and sprinkle with ⅔ cup of crumbled feta, leaving a ½-inch border at the edge.
5. Slide the parchment paper and flatbread onto the hot baking stone. Bake each flatbread until the edges are brown and crisp, approximately 8 to 13 minutes, rotating the flatbread halfway through baking. Prepare the remaining flatbreads while the first one bakes.
6. Remove the flatbread from the oven by sliding the parchment paper back onto the baking sheet. Transfer the flatbread to a cutting board, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of chopped basil, then slice and serve. Let the stone reheat for 5 minutes before baking the other flatbreads.

VARIATIONS:

Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant:

• Omit the balsamic vinegar.
• Substitute 1 eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces, for the zucchini.
• Use 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint per flatbread instead of basil (2 teaspoons of mint per flatbread).

Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Corn:

• Omit the balsamic vinegar.
• Substitute 2 cups of corn kernels for the zucchini.
• Use 2 thinly sliced scallions instead of basil.

Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms:

• Omit the balsamic vinegar.
• Substitute 1 pound of trimmed and quartered white mushrooms for the zucchini.

Multigrain Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Fennel:

• Substitute 1 thinly sliced fennel bulb for the zucchini.

These variations offer a range of delicious options to customize your multigrain flatbread with roasted tomatoes and zucchini. With a variety of vegetables and herbs, you can create unique and delightful flatbreads to suit your taste preferences.